Cookie Mueller (1949–1989) was a firecracker, cult figure, writer, actress, mother, queer icon and downtown legend. From her early days in John Waters’ films to her life as an art critic, columnist, and beloved presence in New York’s art scene, she lived boldly and left behind a legacy that still burns bright. She was also a close friend and muse to Nan Goldin, who immortalised Cookie in some of her most iconic photographs. Edgewise pieces together Cookie’s story through over 80 interviews with those who knew her best, including John Waters, Mink Stole, Gary Indiana, Richard Hell, Linda Yablonsky, Sharon Niesp, and many more. Spanning Baltimore in the late 1960s, Provincetown and New York in the 1970s, to Berlin and Positano in the 1980s, the book offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of her world. This oral history is enriched with photographs, artwork, and archival material, featuring contributions by Nan Goldin, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Robert Mapplethorpe, Peter Hujar, David Armstrong, and others.